President and Vice President: Sebastian Pham ’23 and Jeremias Thiel ’23
President Pham is a quantitative economics major from Hai Phong, Vietnam; Vice President Thiel is a political science and environmental studies major from Kaiserslautern, Germany.
Pham and Thiel ran on the slogan “Inclusion is the engine to progress,” defeating incumbent Andrew Nelson ‘23 by 141 votes in the spring of 2022.
Student Life Senator: Zari Irving ‘25
Irving is a sports management major from Chicago, Ill.
Irving served as a senator last year, and seeks to expand student feedback via a survey system.
Senior Class Representative: Simon Allen ‘23
Allen is a social work major from Chicago, Ill.
Allen served as a senator last year and seeks to create a senate initiative on alcohol and drug use on campus in light of recent changes to Minnesota state law regarding edibles.
Vacant: Senior Class Representative
Simon Allen ‘23 was the only candidate to run for the position of senior class representative. Pham and Thiel are searching for an appointee.
Junior Class Representative: Chau Truong ‘24
Truong is a psychology major from Faribault, Minn.
Truong is owner and operator of Northfield’s Tin Tea, a banh mi and bubble tea spot popular with students.
The position of class of ‘24 representative received no candidates for election. Truong’s appointment to the position by President Pham was unanimously confirmed by the Senate.
Vacant: Junior Class Representative
The class of ‘24’s second representative seat remains vacant. Pham and Thiel are searching for an appointee.
Sophomore Class Representative: Grace Barton ‘25
Barton is a quantitative economics and political science major from Eagan, Minn.
Barton served as a senator last year, during which she received funding from senate initiative Ole Tank in order to provide free menstrual products in St Olaf bathrooms. This year, she hopes to improve senate outreach to campus.
Sophomore Class Representative: Donovan Roddy ‘25
Roddy is a quantitative economics major from Stillwater, Minn.
Roddy was previously a member of the Political Awareness Committee (PAC) and sits on the executive board of College Leftists. He seeks to improve transparency between students and Public Safety.
Freshman Class Representative: Logan A. Samuelson ‘26
Samuelson is a political science and economics major from Blaine, Minn.
Samuelson seeks to improve in-dorm common spaces with new recreational equipment.
Freshman Class Representative: Evgenia Roth ‘26
Roth is an environmental studies and political science major from Hudson, Wis.
Roth seeks to increase student flex dollar allotments, which have not increased despite increases to room and board costs for students.
Freshman Class Representative: Kaia Kempf ‘26
Kempf is from Swisher, Iowa. Her major is undeclared.
Swisher seeks to improve campus waste reduction, and to focus on environmental issues across campus.
Environmental Student Senator: Hannah Kietzman ‘25
Kietzman is a biology major from Waunakee, Wis.
Kietzman seeks to see a return to composting and better waste separation for plastic waste on campus.
No candidate ran for the position. Kietzman’s appointment to the position by President Pham was unanimously confirmed by the Senate.
International Student Senator: Kate Zhylinskaya ‘25
Zhylinskaya is a biology and computer science major from Minsk, Belarus.
She served as interfaith senator last year. She seeks to collaborate with the Board of Regents Student Committee (BORSC) and the Taylor Center to improve opportunities for international students.
Vacant: Multicultural Student Senator
The post of multicultural senator received no candidates and remains vacant. Pham and Thiel are searching for an appointee.
Gender and Sexuality Senator: Sarah Seebacher ‘25
Seebacher is a psychology and gender & sexuality studies major from Innsbruck, Austria.
She hopes to increase the number of gender-neutral bathrooms available to students, and invite speakers to campus regarding relevant social issues.
Interfaith Seator: Samsam Ali ‘26
Ali is a social work and creative writing major from Rochester, Minn.
Ali seeks to improve tolerance between students through the promotion of educational and social events which bring together students from many faith backgrounds.
Curriculum Committee Senator: Salma Elbezawy ‘25
Elbezawy is from El-Mahllah El-Kubrah, Egypt. Her major is undeclared.
The Curriculum Committee Senator will represent the student body before the curriculum committee.
Note: The Olaf Messenger executive team was in attendance at the Oct. 4 Senate meeting to answer questions regarding the Messenger’s annual budget allocation.
Correction: in the October 6 issue of the Messenger, SGA Senator Samsam Ali’s hometown was incorrectly listed as Stillwater, Minn. Ali’s hometown is Rochester, Minn., and Ali grew up in Birmingham, UK.
